Garystar

Got #3 turn up from U.K. dealer this week. Low grade (like most of mine are) but gives me nice little run 1-9. Only need 12 issues for the title so think that may be attainable in next few years.

I prefer UK Price Variant. This defines it as nothing but the price being different from the regular US version, whereas UK Distribution Variant might be construed as being something completely different to and produced separately from US version or even UK Produced. I think UK Price variant ties in with terminology of 30c/35c price variants and Canadian price variant both of which are terms used in the hobby. It’s been an uphill battle to get collectors to understand what UK Price variants are, collectors know what 30c/35c price variants and Canadian price variants are and if UK price variants are going to get acceptance I think it’s best to tag along with these and keep similar naming terminology. Although I might be completely wrong.

Here's my copy of UK reprint, Creepy Worlds #36. These were published by Alan Class who released a number of titles many of which reprinted, virtually at random, Marvel and Atlas issues. Used to be you could pick these up for pennies but in the last 5 years or so they have been swept along in the rush for key issues. The last sale on ebay for Creepy Worlds #36 was a staggering £565.

Late silver/Bronze Age issues do turn up and inexpensive so long as you aren’t fussy about grade. However it’s rare for high grade issues to be on sale here.

No issues distributed in UK so when it comes to Millie and Chilli have to take what I can get.

This is my copy;

Looks a bit like a variation of a 9d Miller stamp actually (and they did do westerns): Make more sense to be a UK stamp, a reduction from 10 cents to 9 cents wouldn't be much of a reduction. 1956 so that would be too early for official distribution?

Apart from a few keys and few issues to complete Rawhide Kid title I don't actively seek westerns I just pick them up when I see them cheapish. However after seeing Gunsmoke #66 on one of the threads here a few months back I went straight out and bought one - it's fantastic isn't it. Although I like Jack's art his covers don't usually pop for me but surely Gunsmoke #66 is one of his very best - it's double fantastic.

Thanks. Unfortunately I need about 120 issues across the two titles and they’re so difficult to come by in UK. A shorter run title like Gunsmoke Western may be more attainable. Strange Tales and JIM are higher up my wants lists - although more expensive I don’t need many issues of either so I’m more focused on these.

There's a good history of Spider-man's creation in this magazine by Greg Theakston. In summary the idea of a super hero called spiderman was Joe Simon's (Jack's partner) in 1953. He didn't like the name and revised it to the Silver Spider. His draft pages were rejected as the concept was too much like Captain Marvel but years later he gave them to Jack Kirby who worked them and the character became the Fly. By 1962 Jack was at Marvel, Stan asked Jack if he had any ideas for new super heroes and Jack mentioned Joe's character Spiderman/Silver Spider. Stan liked the name and asked Jack to go away and do a few pages, Jack came back with the pages - a small boy who would transform by means of a magic ring into a heroic figure with a web pistol. Stan rejected the concept but liked the name Spiderman so gave the project with a few ideas how he wanted it to be and an origin to Steve Ditko. Steve went away and came back with the Spider-man we know from Amazing Fantasy #15. So Spider-man created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko based on ideas by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby. (No mention of Joan Lee);

I think there's a chance with Sgt Fury #167. It fits the pattern of final issues and same month as the recently found Marvel superheroes #104. It makes some sense that titles with falling sales are sent to UK to find some more buyers and perhaps save them from cancellation. Sgt Fury #167 would have had a declining print run, with UKPV being a small fraction of the overall print then they would be quite scarce. I would have only looked for Sgt fury #167 when i was looking to complete my set, I obviously didn't see any UKPV at the time because mind is cents. I'll keep an eye out now though.

Mostly recollection with some fact: Early 1970s distribution rights for US Marvel comics transferred from T&P to World Distributors. I believe WD were the distributors of US Marvels when MWOM was published in October 1972, a (very) quick search on Ebay shows T&P stamps on Marvels cover dated July 1971 but no T&P stamps on Marvels post August 1971 so I assume this is when the change over occurred. I started collecting in May 1973 but Marvels were incredibly hard to find, I could find no regular source of Marvels, those I found titles were pretty scattergun and dates ranged from late 1960s to present and were a mixture of 15c T&P, UKPV 1/- and UKPV 6p. Then in December 1973 current UKPV Marvels started appearing in all the newsagents whilst the older T&P ones disappeared. However they only appeared for a few months until March 1974 when only six issues appeared (possibly the six earliest printed for cover date March) then none at all April – July anywhere in UK. In August 1974 UKPV 7p Marvels re-appeared everywhere and were easy to find. However distribution was now aligned with Marvel’s UK B&W reprint and several titles which had UK reprints were no longer available – Avengers, Spider-man, Hulk etc. Spider-man and Hulk had already been non-distributed since 1973, I suspect that once Marvel UK started publication with MWOM in October 1972 Marvel took much more interest in distribution – not from a collector/readers point but from a financial one. I think I’ll look to getting some UK fanzines from around the early 1970s and see what they have to say. I recall a lot of discontent with the non-appearance of several titles.

Agree Duncan has lots of inaccuracies regarding distribution. I know you’re going to educate me better but I don’t (until your next post) believe there were any stamped cents Marvels after distribution shake up August 1974. After this date Marvels were either non-distributed or were UKPV.

I see Duncan McAlpine’s last UK guide has Sgt Fury #167 as distributed scarce in U.K. Does he know or seen something we haven’t or just got this one wrong?

Some strange patterns/thinking with distribution of last issues; Jungle Action, strange Tales and Where Monsters Dwell, generally distributed but last issue not, crypt of Shadows and Vault of Evil no issues distributed bar the last. We also missed last issues of Nova and Invaders (double size) machine man. I’m sure there are more and you’ve exhausted searches, seems odd how many last issues break the distribution pattern.

Looking for patterns you’ve touched on one yourself - last/late run issues. MSA 37 last issue, MSH last two issues before pence issues ended. Rawhide Kid was non-distributed for many years but the last issue turned up over here, similarly Sgt Fury non-distributed for years but the last few issues were distributed. What chance Sgt Fury #167 exists in pence, or a couple of those later Rawhides, or last issues of some of the horror reprints? Perhaps worth looking at last few issues of titles ended during the 80s which were otherwise non-distributed. Just a thought.

I can never understand the thinking of someone selling a comic for £4,450 asking another £2.95 postage. Surely you’d dangle the carrot of free postage that would have swung it for me, if I hadn’t blown my budget on those Marvel Tales.

Just posted these in the western thread and thought appropriate for this thread also. 101 - 151 are in the attic so not to hand to photograph.

This is the stamp on Rawhide #10. I can’t make it out even in hand or under a light (also tried a black light). Kid colt I have from 100 to last issue and a few earlier, two gun from 60 to last issue and a few earlier including #1. At the rate of 2 or 3 a year I will be 100 by the time I complete. Another problem collecting in UK is the time difference; I was recently outbid, by one bid, on a Kid colt #1 towards the end of the auction, it ended in the middle of the night here so I wasn’t able to react to being outbid.

My Rawhide #10 has a stamp - it’s 9 something or other but unfortunately too dark to see properly. Could it be an early T&P? but could be 9 cents second hand stamp. Nice KC #91, it’s one I haven’t got. Was kid colt distributed from 95 or 96?

Thanks. Finding them in UK is the problem. Kid colt was not distributed in UK until #96, TGK until #54, westerns were not as popular as superhero titles so dealers nor collectors didn’t make the effort/expense to import them. Pre-internet these issues were rare to non-existent in UK. I’m not fussy about grade of westerns, if I was I wouldn’t have found more than a handful here. Of course I can now source them from all over the world but then shipping is often twice the cost of the comic and a mental barrier prevents me paying $50 for a $15 comic. Rawhide kid was distributed from #17 so fewer difficult issues to track down. To my mind it was generally the best read of the westerns so perhaps others thought the same and hence more copies in circulation here.

Being in the UK this was a hard set to put together. I’ve just about given up hope if completing Kid Colt, lingering hopes for Two Gun Kid.

MMMS Sweatshirt. Front; Back;

This one is in comic book style. Issued recently to raise funds to support road crews who have no work whilst gigs and tours cancelled due to Covid.

Here's a UK oddity, From SMASH #38 October 1966. Despite the Batman strip on cover the issue's point of interest is a NEW hulk strip. Sometimes referred to as Avengers 3 1/2 as the story follows on from Avengers #3. The villain was later retconed as the The Masked Matador from Daredevil #5; .